Valve plug retaining device



May 17, 1955 L. SCHMID VALVE PLUG RETAINING DEVICE Filed Feb. 5, 1951 Unite States Patent 2,708,562 VALVE PLUG RETAINING DEVICE Leopold J. Schmid, Philadelphia, Pa., assiguor to Arthur Thomas Company, Philadelphia, Pa., a corporation of Pennsylvania Application FebruaryS, 1951, Serial No. 209,379 Claims. .(Cl. 251-181) This invention relates to new n the stopcocks and' valves of chemical and laboratory customarily the stopcocks and valves of chemical and laboratory equipment are made of glass and comprise between two glass tubing. The sleeve has a tapered bore longitudinally therethrough in which is prevent leakage between the valve parts. I In the past it has been the practice to endeavor to meet this-difliculty by'means of an elastic'ring or washer which is fitted over the pro ecting smaller end of the plug and seated in a circumferential groove or recess in which the two plates 8 and 9 entirely overlap about the aforesaid rivet These and other objects of the invention and the various features and details of the construction and operation thereof are hereinafter fully set forth and described with reference to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side conjunction With a valve plug retaining device made according to the present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged end elevational view of the disclosure in Fig. 1 of the drawing as viewed from the left;

2,708,562 Patented May 17, 1955 sectional View "on tween sections of glass tubi-ng Z, for example; in the relation shown inFig. lot the drawing. The valve sleeve 1 has a tapered bore 3" extending thereth rough in a of the sleeve and transversely of the direction of flow through the tubing 2.

Rotationally received within the bore 3 of the valve sleeve '1 is a correspondingly tapered valve ing'integral with its larger end the valve sleeve 1, the relation shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

Adevice madeacco'rding to the present invention for retaining the valve plug 4 Within its sleeve 1 underten at one end, 7

said plates Sand 9 are disposed in lapped relation for movement in opposite directions with respect to one another between an innerlimit position one another with their openings 10 and 11 in substantial reg istry, and an outer position in which the two plates and their openings 10 and 11 are substantially out of register, for example, as shown in Figs.g4 and 5 of the drawing. v The outer side edge of each Wardly as indicated to provide ears 13 and 14, respectively against which bear the opposite end portions of a spring 15. The spring 15 has its central portion coiled 12 and the opposite portions are disposed so that their end portions plate 8 and 9 is bent up 14 and act normally to urge the platemembers 3and 9 outwardly with respect to each other.

manually their 'inner limit position spring 15.

Connected to the outer side of the plate 8, for ex; ample, by means'of a rivet 16, is one end of a coil spring 17. The opposite end of the coil spring 17 is free and unsupported and the minimum diameter of the inspring 17 is greater than holds the valve plug in the sleeve, for example, by engaging his left hand with the valve handle 5. The outer surfaces of the ears 13 and 14 of the retaining device are then grasped by the thumb and forefinger of the right hand and the plate members 8 and 9 are actuated against the action of the spring to their inner limit position with the openings 10 and 11 thereof disposed in substantial alignment for registry. With the plates in this position the free end of the coil spring 17 is passed over the projecting end portion of the valve plug 4 at the same time compressing the spring 17 until the plate members 8 and 9 are disposed in surrounding confronting relation to the circumferential groove or recess 6 in the plug 4. The technician then releases the pressure on the ear portions 13 and 14 thus allowing the spring 15 to actuate the plates 8 and 9 outwardly in opposite directions with respect to each other to thereby engage opposite edge portions 18 and 19 of the respective plate members 8 and 9 within the plug groove or recess 6, for example, as and in the relation shown in Fig. 3 of the drawing. In this connection it is to be noted that the edge portion 18 of the plate 9 is offset slightly as indicated so that said edge portion 18 lies in the same plane as the edge portion 19 of the plate 8, for example, in the relation more clearly shown in Fig. 3 of the draw- By this construction the plug 4 is retained against accidental displacement from its sleeve 1 and the forces stored in the compressed coil spring 17 act in a direction axially outward to continuously bias the plug 4 inwardly of its sleeve 1.

While a particular embodiment of the present invention has been illustrated and described herein, it is not intended to limit the invention to such disclosures, and changes and modifications may be incorporatedand embodied therein within the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. As a new article of manufacture, an attachment for retaining a valve plug seated in a sleeve under tension, comprising a pair of generally similar plates each having an opening therein of a diameter to receive an end of the valve plug and pivotally connected together in lapped relation for movement in opposite directions between an inner limit position in which said plates entirely overlap one another with their openings in register and an outer position in which said plates and their openings are substantially out of register, spring means acting on the plates operable normally to bias said plates outwardly to said outer position, and a coil spring anchored to one of said plates and extending freely outwardly therefrom with the axis of its oonvolutions generally aligned with the opening in said one plate, said coil spring being compressible and adapted to act against the sleeve to retain the plug therein under tension.

2. As a new article of manufacture, an attachment for retaining a valve plug seated in a sleeve under tension, comprising a pair of generally similar plates each having an opening therein of a diameter to receive an end of the valve plug, means pivotally connecting said plates together in lapped relation for movement in opposite directions between an inner limit position in which said plates entirely overlap one another with their openings in register and an outer position in which said plates and their openings are substantially out of register, spring means acting on the plates operable normally to bias said plates outwardly to said outer position, and a coil spring anchored to one of said plates and extending freely outwardly therefrom with the axis of its convolutions generall'y aligned with the opening in said one plate, said coil spring being compressible and adapted to act against the sleeve to retain the plug therein under tension. 1

3. As a new article of manufacture, an attachment for retaining a valve plug seated in a sleeve under tension, comprising a pair of generally similar plates each having an opening therein of a diameter to receive an end of the valve plug and pivotally connected together in lapped relation for movement in opposite directions betweeri an inner limit position in which said plates entirely overlap one another with their openings in register and an outer position in which said plates and their openings are substantially out of register, cars at the outer edges of said plates, spring means anchored to the plates and bearing against said ears operable normally to bias said plates outwardly to said outer position, and a coil 1 spring anchored to one of said plates and extending freely outwardly therefrom with the axis of its convolutions generally aligned with the opening in said one plate, said coil spring being compressible and adapted to act against the sleeve to retain the plug therein under tension.

4. As a new article of manufacture, an attachment for retaining a valve plug seated in a sleeve under tension, comprising a pair of generally similar plates each having an opening therein of a diameter to receive an end of the valve plug, means pivotally connecting said plates together in lapped relation for movement in opposite directions between an inner limit position in which said plates entirely overlap one another with their openings in register and an outer position in which said plates and their openings are substantially out of register, ears at the outer edges of said plates, spring means anchored to the plates and bearing against said ears operable normally to bias said plates outwardly to said outer position,'and a coil spring anchored to one of saidplates and extending freely outwardly therefrom with the axis of its convolutions generally aligned with the opening in said one plate, said coil spring being compressible and adapted to act against the sleeve to retain the plug therein under tension. i 1

5. As a new article of manufacture, an attachment for reta1ning a valve plug seated in a sleeve under tension, a pair of generally similar plates each having an opening therein of a diameter to receivean end of the valve plug, means pivotally connecting said plates together in lapped relation for movement in opposite directions between an inner limit position in 'which'said plates entirely overlap one another with their openings in register and an outer position in which said plates and their openings are substantially out of register, cars at the outer edges of said plates, and spring means anchored to the plates and bearing against said ears operably normally to bias said plates outwardly to said outer position.

References Cited in the tile of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS- 967,460 Straub Aug. 16, 1910 1,304,150 Blaylock May 20, 1919 2,334,801 Zimmerman Nov. 23, 1943 2,420,061 Adams May 6, 1947 2,586,453 Bradbury Feb. 19, 1952 2,621,887 Todd Dec. 16, 1952 V FOREIGN PATENTS 500,661 Great Britain Feb. 14,1939 

